Marilyn Manson on Sexual Misconduct in Hollywood: Say It to the Police First, Not the Press

Marilyn Manson has offered some strong opinions about the current wave of sexual harassment and misconduct allegations sweeping the entertainment industry. In a new interview with Channel 4 News in the U.K., Manson expressed that he’d rather see alleged victims go to the police first instead of the press, adding that he disagrees with the way ex-fiancé Rose McGowan is addressing this current climate.

Back in October, McGowen publicly accused Harvey Weinstein of raping her back in 1997. “I didn’t really know much about it when I was with her,” Manson says of the alleged incident. As for the many allegations throughout the industry, Manson shares, “I don’t want it to turn the whole world’s attention from the artistic element of Hollywood and movies and films be ruined by this.”

Manson also broke down what he sees to be the difference between “serious” and “not as serious” accusations. “When someone starts complaining about something that happened that seems a little bit not as serious as really sexual assault, I think it’s insulting to people that have been sexually assaulted,” he states. “It pisses me off that when someone says, ‘Someone gave me an inappropriate gift.’ That’s not the same as being harmed.”

Manson adds, “I just think that if you have something to say, you should say it to the police and not the press and handle it that way first and foremost … I disagree with how [McGowen is] handling it. I just disagree with the entire snowball effect that’s happened with it. It could ruin a lot of people’s lives that don’t need to be ruined.”

Check out the full interview with Marilyn Manson in the clip above. For Manson's take on sexual misconduct, skip to 31:00 in the video.

The Evolution of Marilyn Manson: Retrospection Through Imagery (1994-2017)